Conventional umbrellas and in particular rain umbrellas are devices that are in general relatively unwieldy and are often awkward to use. They are particularly inconvenient when not in use, i.e. when sunny or rainy weather has either not yet begun or has already stopped. Particularly due to the fact that they are not easily portable, they are often left behind or forgotten. As a result, they are also often not brought along, for example when sun or rain is not likely. If, for example, rain does then occur contrary to expectations, people are largely unprotected or attempt to protect themselves from the rain in a makeshift way by covering their heads with objects such as a purse or items of clothing such as a jacket or the like. This takes its toll on these objects and items of clothing. In addition, such makeshift solutions only afford insufficient protection.
This basic problem has been known for a long time, leading to the development of partially collapsible umbrellas, which have also been known for a long time and which in the closed state take up significantly less space than conventional umbrellas, but are still relatively large and unwieldy. It is in fact possible for them to fit into a purse or the like that is carried. However, when doing so, the considerable weight of these umbrellas makes their presence annoying. Also, when no purse is to be carried, there is usually no practical way to carry these umbrellas.
The above-described problem is becoming even more critical due to the fact that the change in worldwide climate conditions could result in the fact that local weather conditions change more quickly from one extreme to another. As a result, weather conditions and in particular the probability of rain, can change significantly within a few hours or even a shorter time frame. It is therefore necessary when out of doors to be able to protect oneself from the possibility of a sudden onset of rain at any moment.
It is clear from the documents of the prior art that one direction toward which improvements in umbrella usability strive is to reduce their awkwardness, i.e. the number and or size of awkward parts in umbrellas. The awkwardness of conventional umbrellas is in particular due to the handle, the central holding rod, and the radial struts that stretch open the umbrella fabric. The aim of modifications is therefore necessarily to replace these elements with other elements that are roughly functionally equivalent.
A large number of prior publications have therefore already proposed embodying an umbrella in the form of an inflatable umbrella, which is inflated for use and otherwise, can be practically transported in the collapsed state. A gas-filled envelope replaces the umbrella fabric that is usually stretched open by metallic structures, thus providing the necessary rigidity.
The publication DE 10 2006 009 262 A1 describes an umbrella that has an inflatable envelope that assumes the shape of a dome when inflated. The dome can be held over the head of a user for protection. On the inside of the inflatable envelope, a chemical reaction can produce a gaseous substance that serves to inflate the envelope.
In principle, a very high pressure in an inflatable envelope can also achieve a very high rigidity of the envelope. Since the inflatable envelope cannot be very thick so that it is not too heavy and does not take up too much space when in a collapsed state, however, it is not possible for the pressure to be limitlessly high. Consequently, in the inflatable umbrellas that have been disclosed up to now, the problem has been that in an inflated state, they do not have the required stability to resist powerful, externally acting forces such as forces generated by heavy wind or rain.
The object of the present invention is to create an improved inflatable umbrella that is more stable in an inflated state and is better able to resist external forces than previously known umbrellas.